2 pink couches, 1 giant piece of art, and everything else I changed in our family room | Ingenuity and delight

This year I changed almost everything in our green family room. The section everyone loved? Missing. The red carpet? Replaced. Even the design that seemed so perfect was completely reinvented.

Over the past 18 months, I’ve been slowly undoing decisions I was once completely sure about, and I want to tell you exactly why. This room has been a fan favorite since I first shared it, so I know some of you may be wondering: What went wrong?

Nothing went wrong. But something changed and I want to tell you the whole evolution, including the doubts, the year-long searches and the moment I knew that the sectional had to disappear.

The original design of the family room

When I first designed this room in 2020 and 2021, I was obsessed with the idea of ​​wrapping us in green. I wanted the family room to feel like being in a garden, something that was lush, cozy and a little moody. The green sectional was the anchor: oversized, incredibly comfortable and a piece that created a tone-on-tone effect with the walls that I was really proud of.

I’m always drawn to tone-on-tone color combinations, whether in fashion or decor. So of course it seemed like the perfect choice. The sectional could accommodate our entire family, the green on green moment was bold and everyone who saw it loved it. For a while, I loved it too.

But as the months went by, I started to notice little things that were bothering me. The way we always ended up in front of the television. How dark the room felt on cloudy days. The fact that when friends came over, the layout of the section made actual conversation seem… out of place. I tried to ignore it. I had just designed this room! But the feeling didn’t go away.

The day our pink velvet sofa duo arrivedI knew I had made the right decision.

All the changes I made to our family room

A pink velvet sofa set.

I know some of you loved the sectional. Here’s why it had to disappear.

Replacing the sectional was the scariest decision I made this year. That sofa was the heart of the room. Everyone loved it and I spent months choosing it. But I couldn’t shake the feeling that the design was completely wrong.

I wanted a more formal seating arrangement that looked like this: two sofas facing each other, the kind of setup that pulls you into a real conversation instead of distracting you in front of the TV. The sectional kept us isolated in our little corners, always looking forward. This new design completely changed the way we use space. Now when we sit we face each other. Game nights feel more communal. Conversations feel more intimate. This is what I like most about the updated room.

As for the color of the sofas, I was debating between tan and pink for months. The green on green had been beautiful, but it darkened the room significantly. I kept coming back to pink. It felt unexpected but somehow good for this space. Lighter, softer, but bold enough to stand up to the green paint color.

Large scale works of art

it took 18 months to find this work of art.

I knew I wanted something large scale for the wall behind the couch, but I couldn’t find anything that looked good. I looked at hundreds of pieces. I would save things in folders, come back to them weeks later and feel nothing.

Then I found this abstract garden pieceand I had that instant recognition that comes with art that is meant for you. Even then, I didn’t buy it right away. I waited until the sofas were confirmed. (What if the pink one didn’t work? What if I change my mind again?) But once I ordered them, I pulled the trigger.

The scale creates the perfect focal point and the colors (the soft pinks, the greens, the organic shapes) tie together everything that is already happening in this room. It was worth the wait.

A pair of small ottomans

These little guys are proof that small changes can completely change the energy of a room.

I chose ottomans with this floral chintz print as a way to provide lighter and brighter tones that balance all the richness of the green walls and pink sofas. They’re also incredibly practical: easy to move, move closer to the couch for more sitting, or use as a footrest during movie nights.

The best part? Because they are small, they require little commitment. If I get bored of the pattern within a year, changing them is easy. But for now they are perfect.

patterned rug

But there was one more problem I needed to solve…the red carpet had to go.

I loved it when I first brought it. It was bold, brought life to the space and felt like a statement. But once the pink couches arrived, red suddenly felt…off. Too much. Too… red. It was fighting with the green instead of complementing it.

I moved the red rug into the dining room and replaced it with this blue and green patterned rug, a vintage find from Chair I had it in another room in our house. With this change, the family room instantly felt lighter and more cohesive. The blue and green tones pop on mismatched walls, and the pattern adds visual interest without overwhelming the space. It’s one of those changes that seems small on paper but transformed the feel of the entire room.

coffee table

He black oval coffee table It’s a placeholder, and I’m okay with that.

In fact, I saved a coffee table last spring, a beautiful handmade maple piece with the perfect shape, but I haven’t decided on the finish yet. So for now, this black oval holds the fort. I like its organic shape and its smaller silhouette creates a better flow in the room (the old square coffee table was a beast).

But I’m excited for the day when I finally commit to finishing it and bringing in the permanent piece. Sometimes you need to live in a space for a while before you know what you need.

piano corner

One of my favorite additions to this room is something I never planned: a piano nook.

Joe played as a child and Bennett has been asking to take lessons for more than a year. Having the piano here has completely changed the way we use this room. It’s no longer just a place to watch television. It’s where we practice in the afternoon, where we gather to sing impromptu, where the room really sounds as good as it looks. Well, eventually it will be. I have a keyboard with volume control, which is nice.

It’s a reminder that the best design decisions are often those that go unplanned.

Our homes have to evolve with us. They evolve with how we actually use space, not just how it is photographed.

Why rooms are destined to evolve

If you had told me two years ago that I would be replacing almost everything in this room, I wouldn’t have believed you. This was my favorite space. I spent months getting it right.

But here’s what I’ve learned: “Perfect” is temporary. Our homes have to evolve with us. They evolve with how we actually use space, not just how it is photographed. The sectional was beautiful, but it no longer served us. The red carpet was daring, but it stopped feeling good.

I used to think that changing your mind about design choices meant you’d made a mistake. Now I see it differently. It means you are paying attention. You’re letting your space grow with you instead of forcing yourself to live in a room that no longer fits.

This family room will probably evolve again. Maybe in a year, maybe in five. And I’m fine with that. Life is not frozen in time. Neither do our spaces. The ones that continue to evolve, change and move with the times? They are the ones who continue to improve.

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Kate is the founder of Wit & Delight. He is currently learning to play tennis and it will be forever. testing the limits of your creative muscle. Follow her on Instagram at @witanddelight_.